Something Dark
by Gallifr3yG1rl
Summary: She reached for his hair and ran her hand down the back of his neck sending warm tingles through his body. She wore strawberry lip gloss and Dean tasted it on her as their breath intermingled. Dean and Sam are out hunting werewolves. Something dark has followed them there and is killing the were wolves too. It looks as though Astrid is the only one who knows what's going on.
1. Chapter 1

div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Something Dark/div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Outside the Gateway Motel, a row of cars sat waiting patiently while their owners slept. The single light, on a tall, metal pole made an oasis of illumination over a black Chevrolet Impala. Its headlights were dark and the engine had ceased its pinging many hours before./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"From the drain nearest the road, something dark and slithery climbed out, its oily surface reflecting the parking lot's security lamp. It crawled silently over the cold grey surface of the lot making directly for its target. With no apparent effort, it slid up over the tires and oozed up into the Impala's underbelly./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"It waited./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"It was good at waiting. It had waited a long time. Very soon now it would get what it wanted./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Just seconds later, the door to room number 23 opened and Dean Winchester stepped out, pulling his leather jacket closer around his body against the chill of the early morning./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Tell me again why we have to leave so early?' he asked his younger brother./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Sam followed Dean from the room carrying their green army surplus bag. He shut the door behind him and pocketed the key./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'The Festival of the Moon starts tonight. If we want to identify the werewolves, that will be the easiest time,' he said./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Dean grunted, watching as Sam opened the trunk of the Impala and threw the bag inside. /div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Without a word, Dean climbed into the driver's seat and brought the muscle car to life. Despite the early hour, he punched the stereo button, starting his mix tape playing loudly. The car rocked as he jiggled, air drumming, in his seat, waiting for Sam to return from dropping off the key./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"The minute his brother slid into the front passenger set, Sam reached for the stereo to turn it off./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Really? It's three in the morning,' Sam complained./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Dean rolled his eyes but accepted the change. He'd learned to choose his battles when it came to Sam. He could drive in silence for a while./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"The car rolled backwards, turned and exited the Motel parking lot./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Neither brother had any idea they took a passenger along for the ride./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"It was nearly dark again by the time Sam and Dean pulled onto a single lane dirt road. They followed a convoy of cars, all heading for the small town fair. /div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Sam read aloud from a glossy leaflet they had picked up at the local service station./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Food court opens at 6pm, fireworks at 8 -'/div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'And howling at the moon starts at 9! Yeah I get it,' Dean remarked sourly. Sam had taken his turn at the wheel to let him sleep. But it hadn't been enough and he really wasn't looking forward to the bright lights of another country fair and the screams of teen girls on show rides. He kept his eyes on the road thinking about his first swig from his flask to give him that edge he needed to hunt./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"The line of cars snaked through a light forest, stopping one by one at a field gate where a pair of young ladies were taking fares and passing out tickets./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Dean pulled up to the gate. The young woman gave him a wide, bright smile. She bent over to see into the car window and Dean had a nice view of a creamy cleavage. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Hi fellas! Welcome to the Festival of the Moon,' the girl said in a husky alto. 'It'll cost you fifteen dollars to get in and food and rides are extra.'/div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"She took Dean's money, handed him a ticket and then slipped him an extra piece of paper with a wink./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'I'm Astrid. I'm running for Moon Goddess - Mature Division and I'd sure appreciate your vote,' she tapped the paper where her name appeared with a long, red finger nail./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Dean took note, nodded and flashed her his best smile./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Sure will Miss Astrid,' he drawled. He had just enough time for one more appreciative scan of the pretty brunette before the car behind him honked in impatience./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"'Maybe I'll get to catch up with you at the fair later?' Dean said quickly, giving her a quick wave before driving on./div  
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"Beneath the car, the dark thing quivered in excitement, hardly caring as it was bumped across the undulating surface of a field fair parking lot./div 


	2. The Fair

Tiffany Agnes was new to Scotts pack. He had only bitten her as a favour to his mother - to save her life.

After fifteen years of her miserable life dealing with illness, she was enjoying the new found health and strength. But most of all she enjoyed the increased physical attractiveness. Brad Everdale had finally noticed her.

She was currently hiding from him behind the large exhibition marquee after whispering in his ear to 'Come find me'.

Tiffany patted he hair into place and smoothed the wrinkles in her tight dress, totally unaware that something dark watched her from the forest opposite.

It crawled closer drawn by her scent, its delighted vibrations growing stronger and stronger until the slick black surface on its back broke apart. The strange black blob dissolved, morphing with the tiniest hiss into a thin black smoke. The leaves around it rustled gently as the black mist rose. It hovered for just a moment before surging forward toward the girl.

Tiffany didn't even have a chance to scream. In seconds, the dark thing thrust at her face, forcing its way into her surprised mouth. It stole the breath from her, unphased by the yellow glow of her eyes as she clutched her own throat, clawing uselessly at the skin in an effort to free herself.

In seconds it was over. The girl lay lifeless on the damp ground, her blonde hair spreading dramatically over the grass, her glassy eyes frozen in a terrified gaze into the sky.

The dark thing pulled out and left her there.

It wafted slowly back toward the safety of the trees, fat and happy.

Sam shook hands with the plump, middle aged woman and walked back to his brother. Dean had watched from a distance, in no mood to talk to some uptight, country madame hell bent on running a perfect fair.

'She says there are three packs here tonight. They traditionally use this fair as a renewal of a peace treaty and there isn't usually any trouble,' Sam explained.

'Then what are we doing here?' Dean asked gruffly. He had better things to do than chaperone a couple of wolf packs through a tradition. Sam had finally convinced him to leave the were wolves alone if they weren't hurting anyone. But he was damned if he was going to participate in their stupid tribal politics.

He took a swig from his silver flask and glared at a young couple who pushed past him with a fistful of balloons.

'It's not the wolves we need to worry about,' Sam said. He indicated with his arm that they should move away from a mob of seniors and Dean was only too happy to comply. 'Mrs Logan-Hemp says there have been three deaths from Hex bags in the past week alone.'

Dean grunted. 'Hex bags? This town has witches _and_ wolves. What a delightful place.'

Sam shrugged and wandered slowly over to a food stand. 'Yeah, well, apparently there is some kind of magical tree stump that charges the air around here.' He bought himself a vegetarian crepe and ordered Dean a hotdog with the lot.

'And what camp does Mrs Logan-Hemp belong to?' Dean asked. He turned to see that the fair president was still watching them with a doubtful frown. He sent her a forced smile and a wave, to which Mrs Logan-Hemp responded by rolling her eyes and walking away.

'White coven,' Sam said through his mouthful of crepe. 'Been fueding with the black magic for years apparently.'

Dean eyed the hot dog Sam had given him. He was about to take a bite when he noticed something far more enticing.

Not far from where they stood, a long line of young men waited patiently for their turn at the kissing booth. As one spotty little teen stepped aside, Dean noticed the booth occupant – Astrid, Moon Goddess applicant.

'Mature Division,' Dean said aloud with a grin.

He approved of the fair's traditional costume. The attractive brunette had changed from her scoop neck top and shorts into a tight white gown with plunging neck line.

Dean pushed the hotdog back at Sam and went to join the queue.


	3. Kiss

Dean had waited twenty minutes by the time he stepped up to the kissing booth. He held up a five dollar note between his fingers and flashed Astrid a winning smile.

'Hope this is worth the wait,' he said in a cheeky drawl.

'No complains so far,' Astrid replied, snatching the note from his grasp and very deliberately tucked it into her cleavage.

Dean was certain he hadn't seen her do that for anyone else. He licked his lips and leaned over the rough plank of a counter. Astrid met him half way, pressing her soft mouth against his. She reached for his hair and ran her hand down the back of his neck sending warm tingles through his body. She wore strawberry lip gloss and Dean tasted it on her as their breath intermingled.

'Hey!' someone said from behind Dean, spoiling the moment. 'The others just got a peck!'

Dean turned and grinned at the short, fat man behind him. 'Either you've got it or you don't,' he said smugly. The man in the queue let out a scoffing breath and rolled his eyes.

Dean turned back to Astrid who had a hand over her mouth, giggling impishly.

She pulled him back in and whispered in his ear. 'I'm out of here in half an hour. Come find me.'

'Sure thing,' Dean said.

As he moved to one side, he made a gun of his fist and sent an imaginary shot towards the fat little man.

'Go gettem tiger!' he said with a wiggle of his eye brows.

He sauntered back to the food stand only to find that Sam was gone.

'Where are you Sammy boy?' he said aloud, digging his phone from his pocket.

The phone rang only once before his brother picked up.

'Finished with your new girlfriend?' Sam said by way of greeting.

Dean chuckled. 'Told you before Sammy, gotta mix business with pleasure sometimes.'

For once Sam didn't bite. Dean heard him give an exasperated sigh but instantly let it drop. 'Better meet us behind the marquee. Looks like another hex bag death,' he said.

Dean winced. 'Typical. Alright I'll see you in five.'

He ended the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

Twenty minutes later Dean found Sam and Lady Logan-Hemp behind the marquee.

'Took you long enough,' Sam snapped, shooting Dean a withering glare.

Dean shrugged. 'You threw out my hot dog, I had to wait for another one.' He finished said item and screwed up the saucy napkin.

Sam knelt by the body sprawled on the ground. The girl's skin had a waxy sheen and her hair had started to sink into the grassy ground as though weighted with lead.

'You sure this is a Hex bag?' Dean asked, taking a pen from his pocket to poke at the girl's hair. He slid the pen under a strand and lifted it, only to have the hair break into pieces like glass.

Mrs Logan-Hemp let out a little squeal and took a step back.

'I certainly haven't seen anything like this before,' she said. 'Though I can tell you this girl was one of the local pack. Her name is Tiffany Agnes and she was one of Scott Macall's recent additions. I've seen them both around town. And …well…I do have a few ways to get my information.'

She left it at that and Dean eyed her suspiciously. He sent Sam an 'are we sure she is one of the good guys?' look to which Sam looked doubtful.

'We can't let anyone know about this! The fair needs to continue,' the uptight woman was saying, wringing her plump hands in front of her neat skirt.

'Don't worry Mrs Logan-Hemp. We'll find the hex bag and we'll find whoever is behind this.' Sam reassured her.

Dean rolled his eyes. He had a feeling he was about to stand up Astrid the Moon Goddess.


	4. Wolves and Witches

Stiles pulled on Scott's arm.

'I'm sure she is following us!' he told his best friend urgently.

Kira answered for him.

'Who is following us?'

'That…that Moon Goddess candidate…in the white dress!' Stiles stammered.

Kira and Scott both scanned the crowd, where at least three girls dressed in the ceremonial costumes mingled with other Fair goers.

Stiles saw their confusion and threw them an exasperated look.

'That one!'

He pointed out a pretty brunette who was currently applying lip gloss by the fairyfloss stand.

'Looks like she is waiting for someone to me,' Scott said, seemingly unperturbed.

Kira nodded in agreement.

'Well, she's been watching us and just happened to be in the same place as us – TWICE!'

Stiles held up two fingers in front of Scott's face. His friend batted them away with a lopsided smile.

'You're imagining things Stiles.'

'Or wishful thinking!' Liam interrupted. His admiration of the older woman was clear on his face.

Stiles shook his head and rolled his eyes.

'Fine! Don't believe me. But when she starts throwing curses at you, don't come running to me.'

Scott's smile faltered and Stiles knew he had struck the right mark. The pack had been hit four times this month by black magic. Kira had only just recovered from a very nasty illness which had caused her muscles to seize painfully. She improved only when the hex bag was found and destroyed. Scott wrapped his arms protectively around the Kitsune, His eyes flashed red as her studied the woman Stiles pointed out.

'Let's move on a bit and see what she does,' the alpha suggested.

The gaggle of seniors followed Scott's lead, wandering down the sideshow alley, pushing their way through the crowd. They paused at the Ferris Wheel, Scott looking back over his shoulder.

'Still there, just at the fortune teller,' Liam reported excitedly.

The twenty something woman looked right at Scott, saw she had been discovered and turned her back on the group, ducking inside the Fortune Teller's tent.

'See! She's totally following us!' Stiles exclaimed, throwing his hands out to reinforce his point.

Scott's eyes narrowed.

'What are you going to do?' Stiles asked his friend.

'I'm going to find out what she wants.'

He disentangles himself from his girlfriend and turned to face the decorated tent.

'No! that's not –'

But Scott was gone, marching purposefully through the crowd.

'-not good,' Stiles finished under his breath.

With and sigh of exasperation, Stiles followed Scott.

Where Scott had parted the crowd easily, people moving aside from his natural confidence, Stiles made hard work of it. He bumped into elbows, spilled drinks and apologized to hefty men. He eventually made it to the entrance of the tent, pulling the canvas aside to follow his friend into the dark interior.

His eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light, though he could hear Scott and the woman in white.

'Was it you who cursed my girlfriend with a Hex bag?' Scott asked, fearless and straight to the point.

'Oh good,' Stiles muttered, 'let's anger the nice lady with the black magic.'

The woman breathed in, clearly offended.

'No! Why would you think that?'

She placed her hands on her hips, facing Scott with just as much self-assurance and fire as him.

'Oh I don't know. Maybe because you're following us and you stink of magic.'

Scott wasn't pulling any punches. But neither was the lady in white.

'Well maybe I wouldn't have to trail around after you watching your furry little butts if you didn't keep sticking your SNOUTS in where they aren't wanted,' she retaliated.

In the darkness of the tent, Scott's eye glowed an alarmingly bright red. He growled a stern warning.

The witch took a step backwards, though, to her credit, she drew herself up to her full height, shoulders squared against the Alpha.

'I'm one of the GOOD guys!' she seethed. 'The white coven is trying to repair the damage you did.'

'Damage?' Scott frowned, clearly confused.

Stiles watched them silently, frustrated that he had nothing to bring to this particular supernatural bout. He had no idea what the white witch was referring to. And clearly, neither did his best friend.

'You and your other creatures stomped all over the Nemeton grounds, totally disrupting the flow of magic. The black covens are PISSED.' She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

Scott backed down. Stiles could see the Alpha Rage leave his friend, his body relaxing from the tense state of alert.

The witch must have taken this as a peace offering. She extended a hand towards the pack leader.

'I'm Astrid. And I've just blown off a very promising rendezvous to have this conversation.'


	5. Fireworks

***Thank you dear reader for your views. They are like food for my soul! But even better is a comment. Please tell me what you think?

****Oh and I forgot to mention in the earlier parts of the story – Lidia is not with the pack. She's having an evening of pampering at a beauty spa. LOL

Dean poured gasoline over the body and threw on a match, watching as the flames consumed Tiffany's corpse. Sam stood a few feet away with shovel in hand. The clearing they had chosen was far enough away from the fair to avoid anyone spotting the smoke or getting a whiff of the burning flesh.

'Do you still think this was a hex bag?' Sam asked, beginning the tiresome task of returning the earth over the hole.

Dean considered this a moment, using his boot to tip some of the pile over Tiffany's shallow grave.

'I've never seen anything like that body. But then every hex bag seems to do something different,' he remarked.

They finished their task and dawdled back to the car.

By the time they had driven back to the field and parked, the evening had darkened into night. The lights of the fair flashed in multicoloured excitement.

Dean checked his watch. 'Time for the fireworks,' he noted.

As if he had summoned them, the first rocket screamed into the sky, bursting outwards in a large, green blossom of sparks. The PA system belted out some upbeat music, the display overhead keeping time.

After the first explosion, Dean didn't look up. He moved away from the PA speakers and scanned the crowd hoping to catch sight of Astrid. There were a few girls in white dresses wandering through the throng, most of them young enough to still be in junior high.

Someone backed into him, knocking his drink over Sam.

'Hey! Dean shouted.

It was just a gawky kid.

Dean grabbed the front of his red hoody.

'Nice move there buddy,' he said sarcastically.

The boy squirmed, apologizing.

'Stiles! You OK?' his friend said, stepping up beside Dean. His eyes flashed red for just a second in a blatant warning.

Dean picked Stiles up by his jumper and pushed him at the were wolf.

'Keep your pack under control!' Dean warned in a low voice.

Stiles threw his hands out to the side in a helpless gesture.

'I tripped!' he protested first to Dean and then to his friend. 'Some of us lack the natural grace of the hunter.'

Dean scoffed. The kid was closer to the truth than he knew. He gave them both another frown and let them walk off.

The young man's cries were drowned out by the music and the fireworks overhead. Ben flailed at the thick smoke surrounding him and invading his throat. He'd caught sight of it out of the corner of his eye and jumped back with wolf like reflexes.

That hadn't stopped the ominous, black column from reaching him, enveloping his form and clouding his flashing yellow eyes. It streamed into his open mouth, choking him.

Ben fell to his knees.

His last thought was a regret.

'Never should have come to this stupid pack treaty.'

The dark thing knew a lot about Ben now. It knew that Ben wouldn't be missed by a pack. It knew Ben had come here on his own, slinking around the edges of the fair, too afraid to approach one of the packs. Now the dark thing knew what an Omega was.

Slowly, the dark thing wafted back into the trees behind the Fortune Teller's tent where it had made a meal of Ben the Omega. The energy of Ben was unsatisfying and the dark thing knew it would need to feed much sooner.

It was about to return to the slick, liquid form when it smelled something delicious. An Alpha was near.

Before the fair - before Tiffany and Ben, the dark thing knew nothing of werewolves or Alphas and Betas. It only sensed their supernatural energy and hungered for it. While it sought out its target and fed to grow strong, the dark thing was happy with this source of nourishment.

But now it had the scent of the Alpha, awakening a deep gnawing need. The Alpha would give the dark thing enough energy to face the source. That much energy would swell within its being and give it power to destroy.

The witch would pay.


	6. Girls and Boys

I plan to update every day and so far I've been meeting that goal. Thanks for reading. More juicy love stuff coming soon!

Enjoying this? Oh please, please leave me a comment!

Kira felt someone put their arms around her. She knew Scott's scent and sighed, snuggling into his embrace.

'Where have you been?' she asked, turning in his arms to look up at him.

'I've got the others in the pack scouting a few things out. Something weird is going on tonight. Tiffany has disappeared and I could feel a strange Omega earlier this evening, but the signature is gone – not run away, gone. And there is a white witch claiming she is helping us. I've never seen her around before though.'

Kira listened carefully. She did care, she really did. But her primal instincts were also screaming at her tonight.

She reached up to put her arms around Scott's neck and drew him in for a kiss. His lips were warm, soft and familiar. They never failed to make her sigh and heat in deep places only he was allowed. When he kissed her, mouth moving on hers, body pressed against her small frame, Kira lost track of the rest of the world. She crushed herself against his firm chest, spreading her fingers through his short hair. He moaned low and deep.

'Kira. We are in a field full of people!'

She giggled wickedly, but let him go. Much as she hated to admit it, she sensed something too. The fox spirit burned fiercely inside her, heightening her already alert state. Perhaps that was why she felt so frisky?

She reeled it in, taking control as her mother had taught her to do.

A large man in a leather jacket was eyeing her suspiciously. She'd seen Scott and Stiles have an altercation with him earlier. Instantly she felt he was someone to be wary of. He had dark secrets of his own.

He glared deliberately at her for a moment as though trying to decide what she was and if she was dangerous. Kira suppressed the fox, pushing it even deeper. His stare made her very nervous.

Finally he looked away.

'The other packs are all on alert too,' Scott was saying. There's so many people here, so many – energies,' he struggled to find the right words. 'It's hard to make sense of it all.'

Scott looked worried.

Kira knew it was the pack he was concerned for. That's why he was a natural leader – a true Alpha.

She patted the sword, wrapped around her waist to reassure herself.

'Why don't we go for a scout together and check this out?' she suggested.

Scott nodded, and took her hand.

Dean caught the slender Brunette around the waist and spun her around to face him. He's spent a lot of the night looking for her and now that he'd caught up with Astrid, he felt more confident than ever.

She swung around in his arms, clutching at his shoulders to steady herself. When she saw who had her, she smiled, and looked coyly up at him through her lashes.

'Catch and kiss?' she said, her voice low and breathy. 'I guess you win.'

Dean pulled her in tighter and pressed his mouth on hers. He tasted the strawberry lip gloss, sucking in her bottom lip. She responded instantly, parting her lips and breathing into his mouth. Her arms went around his neck, fluttering over his ears and into his hair.

The white dress was tight around her waist and over her mature curves. Dean slid his hands down her sides and around to her back, caressing up under her long hair. Her soft chest brushed up against his torso, sending heat down into his belly. He brought her in closer, wanting nothing between them, not the smallest space.

Sam cleared his throat.

'Dean? Hex bags?' he said awkwardly.

Astrid suddenly shoved Dean backwards, away from her.

'You're looking for Hex bags too?' she said in a breathless whimper. 'I knew there was something different about you. You're a hunter aren't you?'

Dean raised his eyebrows. In truth, the passion of the kiss right there in the crowd of people had surprised him too.

Sam answered for him.

'Tracking a coven of black magic,' he explained simply.

The girl's eyes widened. 'Then we can help each other. I'm tracking them too.'

Dean shared a look with his brother. Despite sharing a kiss with the woman just a minute ago, he had no idea just how much Astrid, MoonGoddess could be trusted.

'I have some of their names, and I know what some of them look like. I've been following them for months,' Astrid volunteered. 'Let me get my bag and I'll show you.' She started to walk away.

Dean grabbed her wrist, his eyes narrowed.

'I'll come with you,' he said, in a low voice.

She shrugged and made no move to shake him off. 'I just have to go back to the admin tent where my bag is.'


	7. Guns and Claws

The admin tent bustled with activity. It doubled as the first aid area and a home base for the girls dressed in white costumes. Another candidate, clearly from the mature division, gave Astrid a wave as she entered the large marquee. Dean followed closely in Astrid's wake nodding appreciatively at the busty blonde.

Astrid made her way behind the fold out tables, pulling her bag out of a pile of personal effects tucked under the Official's feet. She pulled out some folded sheets of paper and returned the bag to it's hiding spot.

'These are the most recent photos I could find,' she said, handing Dean the papers.

Astrid had done a good job. Each ID photo had a name printed underneath and a few notes about their habits.

'Maybe we should start with this one?' Dean asked, tapping his finger on the page. Astrid had hand scrawled a note under the name. She was a fellow Moongoddess. 'Should be easy enough to spot in that white dress.'

Astrid nodded and lead him back out of the tent.

'What will you do with her when you confront her?' Astrid asked, a nervous frown marring her face.

'Why? What were you planning on doing? What's your interest in these people anyway?' Dean realised he knew very little about Astrid. It was time he found out. 'You don't look much like the hunter type.'

'Hunter?' she scoffed. 'Where did you get that idea? I'm with the White coven!'

'Great! Another witch,' Dean muttered under his breath. He wasn't as trusting as Sam. She might profess to stand against the Devil and the dark arts. But what she practiced still seemed unnatural to him.

Astrid probably hadn't heard him. She was currently explaining her methods.

'She will be given a chance to change her ways and if she refuses, she will be bound by a voiding charm, making it impossible for her to perform any magic.'

Dean studied her with disbelief. She was deadly serious. He suddenly had a picture of just how inexperienced and naive Astrid really was.

'Right! How bout you try that after I knock her to the ground and put a Holy blade to her throat,' he said dryly.

The dark thing seethed in the undergrowth of the forest.

It had made a mistake.

The Alpha had been strong, but not strong enough to resist. The energy sucked from him had surged into the dark thing, swelling its power to new heights. It was enough.

And then it sensed the target nearby. It felt the ebb and flow of raw magic.

Thinking the moment had finally come, the dark thing emerged silently from its hiding place and flowed over the woman, looking for a way in.

It was not her!

The woman in the white dress was not who it searched for. There was no way in.

In a red rage, the dark thing fed on her too, pulling her essence out her throat and leaving her limp and cold on the ground.

Then it retreated back from the noise and crowds of the fair, the strange magical energy it had consumed swirling heavy inside.

Scott heard the cry for help over the hubbub of happy people. His sensitive ears picked up her screams and his eyes flashed red in response. He grabbed Kira's hand and pulled her in the direction of the sound.

They ran between a drink stall and a showbag truck into the back alley of the carnival, where the large metal bins and generators were tucked away out of sight.

Scott skidded to a halt, taking in the scene. A very tall man stood looking down at the body of a Moongoddess. Her legs splayed at an unnatural angle and even from here Scott could see the empty stare of her eyes.

Scott growled. His claws shot out from the ends of his fingers.

'Whoah! Back up! This wasn't me!' the man said, pulling a gun from his jeans to point at Kira and Scott.

'Of course you would say that,' Scott said in a low, menacing tone, not taking his eyes off the man or the gun.

'I heard her screaming and came to help.'

Then someone else arrived.

It was the man in the leather jacket, the man who had threatened Stiles earlier. He also had a gun pointed at Scott. Behind him, another woman in a white dress rushed over to check the form on the ground. Scott recognised her as the white witch who had spoken with him in the Fortune Tellers tent.

'It's her, Dean!' she said. Her voice didn't sound distressed. She seemed more confused than upset.

Scott relaxed his hands by his sides and the two men responded by lowering their guns.

'What's going on here?' Scott asked, mystified.


	8. Wrestling

Stiles arrived just as the two large men put their guns away.

'Whoah! What's with the Goons? And is that a dead body? Please tell me that isn't a dead body,' he said, words tripping out over his tongue.

The brunette in the white festival costume stood up from examining the still form on the ground.

'This isn't Hex bags!' she told the first Goon in the leather jacket. 'But I do know what this is and I think I know how to stop it.'

The second Goon looked at the first goon and shrugged his shoulders. He was a TALL man!

'Please enlighten us,' leather jacket said.

'It's a Dark Half,' she said as though that explained everything. When no one spoke or moved, she went on to elaborate.

'A Dark Half is what a very enthusiastic, but totally misguided white witch casts out of herself to become more pure. And … well…I think this one is mine.'

She looked down at her hands, the shame and embarrassment clear in her body language.

'I was very young!' she protested, though no one had asked her to give an account of herself. 'I grew up in a very small town! I had no coven to advise me; only my mother's old journals and a LOT of youthful courage and enthusiasm. If I allow it to return I'm sure I can control it. I am a lot older and wiser than when I cast it out.'

Stiles had very little idea about what she was saying. He turned to Scott for clarification, but got none. The pack leader looked as clueless as him for a change.

'Are you comfortable with that Dean?' the tall Goon asked leather jacket.

Dean shrugged. 'If it's her demon, maybe she needs to face it,' he said.

Astrid faced the woods, her lips moving in a silent incantation, while her body stood stiff and upright.

Dean watched, on full alert.

It took only a few moments for the Dark Half to immerge, a black column of smoke snaking out from the trees, making straight for the woman in the white dress. It ignored all the other forms in the narrow space behind the fair tents and enveloped Astrid, drawn in by her chanting.

He could just see her body now, obscured by the thick vapour. She jerked suddenly, her body bowing in the middle, her back bent as the Dark Half reclaimed it's host.

Feeling helpless, he could do nothing but observe as she took back her demons, silently, painfully, returning to a whole, balanced being.

When it was done she turned to face the small group.

Something was wrong.

Her dark eyes had changed to a glowing red, staring down Dean and the others in a blatant challenge.

'Astrid? You're not going to go all dark and violent on me are you now?' Dean asked, fairly certain he already knew what her response would be.

'I am so much more than Astrid now!' said the voice of the Dark Half. It vibrated with evil undertones. Dean rolled his eyes and pointed his gun at her.

'Astrid, get a hold of yourself now! I don't want to have to go all … all….Winchester on your ass.'

Astrid smiled. Her lips turned up in a cold, lightless sneer.

'Oh Dean! While you loped around with my adorable, innocent half, I have seen so much more – absorbed so much more. She blinked slowly, looking at him from under her lashes.

Then she turned her gaze to the three seniors who had wandered onto the scene with them.

'Well now Scott. I am both part of your pack, and also your equal. That alpha was delicious,' she drawled.

The wolves eyes glowed just as red as Astrid's. His claws snapped from the ends of his fingers and his face screwed up into an ugly snarl.

'What have you done?' the alpha wolf growled at her.

Astrid found claws and fangs of her own, facing off the teen with a fierce confidence.

Before Dean could stop them, the teen launched himself at the witch. They met with a sickening crunch and whirled in a ferocious, dangerous dance; clawing, biting and wrestling. Dean followed them with his gun, unable to find any clear target and not quite sure if he was willing to take a shot.

'Sammy? What's the word on this one?' Dean asked his little brother.

'I think we have to let them sort it out and deal with what's left,' Sam suggested.

Dean nodded, and held his position. He shot a stray glance at the other two teens. They looked as stunned and unsure as the hunters.

With a final growl, the male alpha had her, his strength and experience winning out over her slighter form. He pinned her to the ground, claws piercing her shoulder and a raised just above her throat.

Astrid lay panting and bleeding beneath him. Her eyes flashed with the savage power, though she ceased her struggle after another warning swipe, braking the skin on her pale throat.

'Astrid! You said you had this!' Dean warned.


	9. Final Chapter

Astrid blinked, the red fire dying in her pupils.

'My Dark Half is so strong!' she said in a quiet, pleading voice. 'It's changed. It's grown somehow.'

She closed her eyes and her face scrunched up in agony. Dean could see her fists clenched by her side in a physical manifestation of the internal battle.

'The.. the pain helps a little – subdues the Dark Half some … so I can control it,' Astrid said with some effort.

The Alpha looked up at Dean, growling at the gun pointed in their direction.

'What is she?' he asked around his mouthful of large teeth.

That was the million dollar question. Astrid's good side appeared to have a tentative hold over her Dark Half in that moment. But what would she be when the pain settled?

The pretty little Asian girl stepped forward.

'She has to be given a chance to control it,' she said.

'Kira!' the alpha said, his voice a weak protest. 'This isn't like it is with the Kitsune.'

'Isn't it?' she said, planting her feet and standing off against the much larger form of the red eyed wolf.

Astrid struggled weakly against the claws in her shoulder. 'Please let me go!' she begged softly.

'Don't listen to it, Scott' the boy called Stiles chimed in. 'It's just playing on your sympathy. The minute you let go, it will be at your throat again.'

Scott licked his lips, his gaze flashing from Stiles, to Kira and back down at the witch in white.

'I have it under control,' she reassured him.

Then he surprised everyone present by appealing to Dean.

'If I let her go, you cover her until we're sure,' he suggested.

Dean considered this a moment. He hardly knew Astrid. She had already surprised him several times this night. It wasn't in his nature to give many second chances. And despite the kisses they had shared, he knew only too well just how deceiving a supernatural woman could be.

Yet something in her desperate expression softened him.

He nodded, indicating with a jerk of his head that it was safe for the teen wolf to let her go.

'You're going mushy in your dotage,' Sam quipped.

Dean ignored him.

The wolf rolled off Astrid, retracting his claws, and even extending a hand to help her up. She studied the hand carefully a moment before accepting the help.

Brushing off her skirts, the brunette eyed Dean's raised gun, wide eyes betraying her fear.

'You don't have to point that at me. I have it under control,' she murmured.

'Really? Cause from where I'm standing you were a snarling, wrestling beast a minute ago,' Dean countered, his low voice challenging her.

She held up both hands, now smooth and claw free. One hand went to her shoulder where a deep wound bled freely. She stumbled slightly and the girl, Kira stepped over to steady her. Astrid gripped her arm gratefully.

'Really! I have it. The darkness, and the extra power caught me by surprise for a moment, until the Alpha shocked me back to myself. I can feel it there,' she paused, looking down at the ground, her attention turned inwards. 'I can feel the desperation of my Dark Half… needing to be whole again.'

She motioned to Kira that she felt steadier, brushing off the young girl's hand and examining the tear in her Fair costume.

'It's healed already!' she said, surprise clear in her voice.

She definitely seemed more like the girl Dean had flirted with. He lowered his gun.

'What now?' Dean asked his brother.

Sam cocked his head in thought, his long hair falling over one eye. He pushed it behind his ear with impatience.

'Now we wait and see. If the Dark Half absorbed the energy of the wolves we found dead, she could fit into a pack. Or the White coven can keep tabs on her?' He sounded just as unsure as Dean felt.

'Why not ask her what she wants?' Kira asked.

Astrid had given a little shiver at the mention of the lives taken by her Dark Half. She turned to stare down at the most recent victim, still cooling on the ground.

'I remember it,' she murmured. 'And yet I feel detached from the act, like it was done by someone else.'

The girl called Kira watched her carefully. 'The important question is; do you feel like you want to do it again?'

Astrid's reaction couldn't have been more dramatic. She screwed up her face in an expression of disgust, her hair flying out as she shook her head. 'God no! I can't believe my Dark Half was that vicious in the first place!'

Sam shuffled his feet on the damp ground. 'With a light side to balance all that darkness, maybe it wouldn't be that vicious,' he said.

Dean raised his eyebrows. He'd seen the dark half of Sam and knew his brother was speaking from experience.

'So what do you want?' Dean asked.

Astrid fixed him with her large brown eyes. Was that a spark of interest he saw?

'I want to go home and climb into bed.'

Dean pulled in to the apartment car space and killed the engine of the Impala. Sam had stayed to see the late night festivities and to keep an eye on the three packs present, one with a brand new, unpredictable alpha.

'Would you like to come in?

Astrid asked as she climbed out of the passenger side of the black car.

'Sure,' Dean said, already half way out of the car when she asked.

He followed her around the corner to the door of her ground floor unit. She unlocked the door, turned on an interior light and invited him to step through.

The minute he was through the door, she attacked him. Her hands pushed him forcefully against the nearest wall and she stepped into his space, crushing her lips against his. When he didn't resist, she let go of his shoulders and ran her hands over his sides and round to his back, pulling him even closer. She pressed her soft breasts up against his chest, moving and groaning against his body.

He looped his arms around her, finding her sexy round behind through the flimsy fabric of her dress. She moaned and stepped back for a breath.

A red fire burned in her eyes.

'Sometimes is good to have a wicked side,' she said in a low, throaty voice, her fingers sliding down inside his jeans.

Dean could only agree.


End file.
